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How to Prepare for a Topgrading Interview
A Complete Guide to Topgrading Interviewing
How to Prepare for a Topgrading Interview and Sample Questions
As a candidate, how should I prepare for a Topgrading Interview?
Initially, you could familiarise yourself with the Interview Methodology by reading 'Topgrading' by Brad Smart, the book that outlines the process, and review the Topgrading website for more information. It is difficult to prepare to provide effective answers without an understanding of why your prospective employer is using this method.
Having gained this understanding, you can prepare and practice describing your career accomplishments, experiences, and successes. Be prepared to tell stories illustrating how you have added value to previous organisations. Be sure to support this with impactful numbers such as growth percentage, achievement against target, value of new accounts won etc.
The decision makers are looking for evidence, so for a Topgrading interview, like a competency-interview it is worth spending time thinking of examples of when you have demonstrated the required traits detailed in the job specification.
There is little worse than a candidate who has no inciteful questions to ask. It demonstrates a lack of research and interest. This alone will usually terminate your chance of securing the role. Therefore, it is vital to prepare questions demonstrating your knowledge of the company and interest in the role you are applying for. They also allow you to demonstrate your commercial awareness and build rapport with the interviewer.
Additionally, it is vital to research the company's core values and competitive advantages and think about how your skills and experiences can help the company succeed. Without an understanding of these values, it is not possible to know whether there is a mutual fit.
To reinforce this understanding and identify the professional competencies required for the position, study the job description closely and research the company, its culture, and its competitors.
Having done this, you should have enough information to anticipate the types of questions that are likely to be asked. Practice answering these questions and hone them to ensure your answers are communicated in a concise, relevant and compelling way.
No candidate is an island, and your cultural alignment with the company, particularly its people, will be critical to your success. An excellent way to demonstrate your interpersonal and leadership skills is to consider examples of how you have previously worked with teams to achieve success. Be sure to frame your examples with a concise explanation of the situation, actions you took and positive outcomes you achieved. Demonstrate the aligned relevance of this to your prospective employer wherever possible to avoid a "so what" response.
Place yourself in the shoes of the employer, it's natural that they will have the perspective of "what’s in it for me” so be prepared to provide tangible results you have achieved throughout your career that demonstrate your value as an employee. Numbers are powerful, so have accurate examples of where you have beaten targets, achieved cost saving or won high value accounts that you can substantiate.
As a final weapon in your armoury, it can be compelling to produce testimonials and references that attest to your work ethic, accomplishments, and successes. However, it is preferable to keep these in reserve as a final coup de grace, rather than imposing them upon the interviewer at an inappropriate stage of the process.
Sample Topgrading Interview Questions
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- Can you provide examples of successful initiatives that you have taken on in past roles?
- What challenges have you faced in your professional career, and how did you overcome them?
- Tell me about a situation in which you had to make a difficult decision.
- How do you handle difficult conversations with colleagues or clients?
- Describe a time when you had to make a tough decision and how you handled it.
- What have you done to stay updated with industry trends and advancements?
- Describe a situation where you had to work with a difficult team member and how you handled it.
- What techniques do you use to stay organised and prioritise tasks?
- What do you think sets you apart from other candidates?
- Describe a time when you had to take the initiative to solve a problem.
- Describe a situation where you had to manage competing priorities.
- Talk about a time when you had to take ownership of a project and drive it to completion.
- Describe a situation where you had to work with a difficult person and how you handled it.
- What are your long-term career goals?
- What do you think are the qualities of a successful leader?
- Tell me about a time when you had to learn something quickly.
- Describe a time when you had to use your creativity to solve a problem.
- Tell me about a time when you had to give or receive feedback and how you handled it.
- Describe a situation where you had to think on your feet and come up with a quick solution.
- Talk about a time when you had to push yourself to go above and beyond expectations.
Conclusion
Topgrading is designed to provide a robust and multi-layered methodology for interviewing senior executives.
By compiling the views of several hiring managers through a consistently applied set of questions, it can screen out impartial opinions and give a balanced view of not only the most technically qualified candidate for the role, but also the most culturally suitable individual.
Ultimately this provides the highest chance of success for the candidate within the role, as well as a return on investment for the employer in roles vital to the cultural and economic success of the organisation.
Date published: 1st March 2024
by Simon Bonner
Associate Director
About the author
Simon Bonner
With over 25 years in B2B sales and recruitment, Simon is an English Graduate from UEA and specialises in recruiting commercial and FMCG sales positions. Simon joined the sales recruitment industry in 1998 before progressing into field sales and returning to recruitment in 2015. As an Associate Director, Simon is well placed to understand the needs of clients and candidates' needs, having spent ten years selling electronic security and managing National Accounts within OEM manufacturers and distribution channels. An avid Luton Town football fan, Simon dotes on his two daughters and enjoys keeping fit, socialising, food and wine.
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